Page 48 of Absent Feeling

Amberlooked across to Dr. Sutton, half-hoping that he might be able to help her, tomaybe hit Gideon from behind with something, but instead, Amber saw him slumpedagainst his refrigerator, blood starting to pool around him on the kitchenfloor.

“He’sdead!” Gideon said, sounding almost maniacally happy about it. “He’s dead, andthere’s nothing you can do about it!”

“Thenwhy don’t you stop, Gideon?” Amber tried. “It’s over. Just give up.”

Shehad no real hope that it would work, but maybe, just maybe, Gideon would agreethat this was done, and there was no chance of him getting away. Maybe hewouldstop, now that he believed that Dr. Sutton was dead.

“Giveup? And let you put me back in that place? No, never! I’ll kill you before Ilet that happen!”

Hekicked Amber then, in a big, stomping movement that sent her stumbling back, sprawlingto the kitchen floor. Amber felt a sick wash of pain and had to try to forceherself to fight through it. She saw her gun just a couple of yards away andtried to reach for it.

Gideonkicked her again then, so that the world seemed to contract around Amber into atight ball of pain. Gideon was rearing up over her then, the knife in his hand.Amber kicked out, striking his wrist hard with her foot and sending the knifespinning away.

Amberleapt at him, trying to take him down before he could get back to the knife. Sheslammed into Gideon, holding him, trying to stop him from retrieving his weaponand bringing it to bear.

Distantly,Amber heard the sound of a door splintering.

“Amber,hold on!” Simon called out.

“Thisway! He’s here!” Amber called back, knowing that there wasn’t any time to wasteon him searching the house. She heard the sound of Simon running through thehouse, trying to get to her.

Ambersaw the door to the kitchen start to open, and that was when Gideon slammed anelbow into the side of her head, hard enough that Amber saw stars for a moment,losing her grip on him. She saw Gideon snatch up his knife, lunging at Simon ashe burst through the door, and slashing at him hard.

Theslash cut into his arm, making Simon wince in pain. Gideon knocked his gunaside, grabbing for Simon’s arm, keeping the weapon away from him just as hehad with Amber while he tried to force the knife forward through Simon’sdefenses. Simon grabbed for his knife arm, and for a moment or two, they werelocked in a deadly stalemate.

Amberrealized that she was sitting on the floor, watching the fight unfold while shewas there in a daze. She should be helping; she should be doing something totry to stop Gideon before he hurt anyone else.

Simonhit Gideon then, first with a headbutt, then with a punch, knocking himsprawling. Gideon fell limp, apparently unconscious. Simon looked around, firstto Amber, then to Dr. Sutton.

“Holdon, Amber, I’ll call for medical help,” he said. He ran to Dr. Sutton,obviously trying to check that he was ok.

Thatwas when Amber saw Gideon Adams start to move again, move with alarming speed.He pulled himself to his knees, snatching up the knife from where it hadfallen. He went to his feet, staggering towards where Simon had his back tohim, trying to help Dr. Sutton.

Therewas no time to call out, but Amber saw the gun she’d dropped just within reach.That was good because she didn’t feel steady enough then to stand. Shestretched for it, arm reaching out, her fingers brushing the grip, and pullingit to her. Amber had only an instant to grab the gun then, grasping it in bothhands and bringing it up even as Gideon prepared to stab Simon.

“Gideon!”Amber yelled.

Hespun towards her, weapon raised, and Amber pulled the trigger. Again, the soundof the shot seemed to fill the kitchen, seemed to wrap around everything. Ambersaw the shot hit Gideon in the shoulder, the knife clattering from his hand ashe clutched his shoulder in agony.

Simonwas there then, grabbing Gideon, and dragging him down in the middle of thekitchen floor. This time, Simon cuffed Gideon, holding him firmly in place.

“GideonAdams, you’re under arrest.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

Amberwaited in the hospital, outside Dr. Sutton’s room. She doubted that it would bepossible to talk to him before morning, given that he was only just out ofsurgery.

“Howis he?” Detective Heart asked, walking up.

“Thedoctors won’t tell me, other than to say that he’ll live,” Amber replied. “Youhave men on Gideon Adams’s room?”

Thedetective nodded. “He’s not going anywhere. The surgeons say the bullet wasstraight through his shoulder. We’re calling in a shrink from the Wellness Instituteto assess him.”

Amberhad no doubt that he would be found insane again and taken straight back there.She didn’t know if that counted as enough justice after everything he’d done. Shejust had to hope that the Wellness Institute would be able to keep Gideon Adamsfrom ever killing anyone else.

“Hemade accusations,” Amber said. “That the doctor there abused him, deliberatelytreated him cruelly. He has a whole wall of accusations against other people.”

“Andyou think any of that is real?” Detective Heart asked.

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